As the multitude of blue tarps attest, the March storm damaged roofs throughout Florence, Kentucky in a big way. There are two big concerns that homeowners are being faced with in the wake of the high winds. First, the vast property damage has brought predatory contractors flocking to the area by the dozens. Secondly, while on service calls in the area, our team has noted that even homes with minimal to no signs of damage, from the ground, have hidden issues upon close inspection. This article will elaborate on these two issues and give you industry insider facts that can save you from serious grief.

Predatory Roofers in the Wake of the March 1st Storm in Florence

A predatory roofer is one that leaves you high and dry after typically worthless repairs are made. They may never even make the repairs in some cases. Even if they seem so helpful when they come to your door, tarps in hand, they are looking to grab your insurance check and run. They will typically repair or reroof your home but they won’t be there if anything goes wrong with their work. In most cases there isn’t even anything more than a low grade manufacturer’s warranty to back the products they use… which doesn’t cover workmanship.

We’ve seen just about as many suspicious yard signs in Florence as we’ve seen local brick and mortar companies represented. These fly-by-night roofers, also known as “storm chasers”, are seen driving around even weeks after a storm such as the one here. That’s why we want you to be aware of the tell-tale signs your roofer is a predatory contractor:

Shows up at your door with little to no company branded clothing, print materials, or properly vinyl printed branding on their truck.

Wants you to sign an agreement to work with them because they inspected and put a tarp on your roof. This is not a legal document in any way!

Pushy on speeding along the process – they may want to start work once your claim is approved – before having a check in hand.

They may be from the other side of the state or from several states away.

They will not be able to provide a long list of local references that can be verified.

They will not pass a simple google search for credibility.

Predators won’t have a good standing with the BBB in the area.

They won’t be certified with a shingle manufacturer. This can be checked out on the shingle manufacturer’s website.

Their estimates are usually not very detailed. They won’t spell out every piece of the roofing system required for the job.

Low grade local companies may be almost as bad as predatory roofers. Avoid working with a company that displays any of these weaknesses as they too will often leave you high and dry. Issues to be aware of:

Been in business less than 3 years

Has no manufacturer backing

Doesn’t offer any financing options

Doesn’t have a physical office you can visit

If they’re real local, and you haven’t heard of them, there is often a reason for that

They do not want to help work with insurance even though you know it’s the right thing to do

They don’t offer a 5 year workmanship warranty

Example of a clear target for predatory contractors to avoid. They tend to stick to just roofs and avoid larger tasks like damage done by trees.

This partial tarping is a clear case of a predatory contractor. It was a rush job secure “the vital part of the house” when all parts are vital. They likely wanted to conserve tarps for the next victim.

Invisible Damage

It can be quite hard to see wind damage – especially on newer roofs. Younger shingles are flexible and will often lie flat, in place, once the high winds subside. Older stiff shingles will often keep their buckled form if they happen to stay on. Hence, it’s a good rule of thumb to have your property thoroughly inspected after a storm like we saw on March 1st. If any of these are true it is wise to call a roofer:

Any neighbors on your block have visible damage

If you saw your shingles flapping during the storm

If you’ve seen pieces of shingles in your yard since the storm

Get the best inspections, customer service, free lifetime warranty, and overall experience with Roofing Annex, the most trusted name in the Tri-State.